Weighing-machine



Y (No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 1.

P. H. RIGHARDS.

WEIGHING MACHINE.

No. 572,069; I Patented Nov, 24, 1896.

Witnesses: fnwem 02 (No Model 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. H. RICHARDS.

WEIGHING MACHINE.

No. 572,069. Patented Nova 24, 1896.

Witnesses: 172F672 607.-

My. M

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(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 3. F. H. RICHARDS.

WEIGHING MACHINE.

No. 572,069. Patented Nov. 24, 1896.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

P. H. RICHARDS.

- WEIGHING MACHINE.

No. 572,069. Patented Nov. 24, 1896.

Fig. 5.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS ll. RICHARDS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

\NElGHlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 572,069, dated November24, 1896.

Application filed July 24,1896. Serial No. 600,376, (NomodelJ To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS H. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ilartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWeighing-Machin es, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to Weighing machines, an object of the inventionbeing to provide improved valve mechanism compre hending as one of itscoordinate elements a valve closable by the force of a descending streamof material issuing from a chute, 110pper, or other convenient source ofsupply, whereby the expense necessary to maintain the machine insuccessful operation will be materially reduced.

Another object of the invention is to furnish improved bucket mechanismso organized and operable with respect to its several constituent partsas to insure the discharge of the completed bucket-loads, as they areintermittently made up, with facility and rapidity, whereby the outputof the machine is considerably increased.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification,Figure 1 is a front elevation of a weighing-machine embodying my presentimprovements in the preferred form thereof. Fig. 2 is an end elevationas seen from the left in Fig. l, the respective parts being representedin the positions they occupy at the commencement of operation, the valvemechanism being in central vertical section. Fig. 3 is a detail of thevalve mechanism and adjacent parts, illustrating also a fragment of thebucket, the valve mechanism being in central vertical section and in theposition it occupies at the commencement of the poising period. Fig. atis a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the positions occupied by the partsduring the load-discharging period. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view, thesection being taken in line a a, Fig. 2.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

The framework for supporting the operative parts of the machine maybe ofany suitable structure, it being herein shown consisting of the endframes or columns 2 and l, mounted upon the base-plate 3 an d surmountedby the supply chute or hopper ll, of usual present instance of a pair ofarms '7 and 7,

fulcrumed 011 the base-plate 3 of the machine and joined by thecounterweight W. The beam-arms will be furnished with suitablebucket-supports, upon which the bucket- G will be suspended, the centerof gravity of the loaded bucket being preferably in vertical line withsuch bucket-supports, whereby the tendency of the bucket to sway duringits operation will be materially reduced. For wholly preventing suchaction of the bucket G a vertical riser is shown at 8, connected to theframing of the machine by the interposed link 9.

The closer L consists of an approximately flat plate 10, shiftablyconnected to the bucket and forming the front wall thereof, it beingdisposed,when in its normal positiomapproximately at right angles to theinclined bottom 6 of the bucket, whereby the power necessary to maintainthe closer in such normal position is minimized. The closer-plate 10 isshiftable into alinement with the inclined bottom of the bucket, asindicated in Fig. 4, so that it practically forms a continuation of saidbucket-bottom, and it will be obvious that the contents of the bucketmay be discharged with great rapidity.

For returning the closer to its normal or shut position it will bepreferably counterweighted, a pair of arms 12 and 12', rigidly connectedwith the closer-pivots and joined by the weight 13, which preferablyexerts a force slightly exceeding that of the closer, whereby the lattermay be held in its wideopen position for a relatively great period oftime by the weight of the discharging mass of material thereon beingemployed for said purpose. As soon as the mass entirely leaves thecloser the latter will be instantlyreturned to its normal position bythe weight 123. The closer is equipped with the guard walls or plates 14and ll, which when said closer is in its wide-open position serve as acontinuation of the end walls of the bucket and prevent lateral flow ot'the disehargin g stream of material.

For maintaining the closer in its shut or normal position the followinginstrumentalities may be employed: A rocker is shown at 15 pivotallysupported on the bucket G, a connecting-rod 1b being illustrated pivotedto said rocker and also to the closer L. A counterweighted bucket-latchis shown at 17, having the hook portion 18 for engaging the rocker-arm15,when the closer L is in its shut position, whereby the rocker 15 andalso the connected closer L may be held against os cillation.

The ehutell is adapted to contain a mass of material to be weighed,which emerges from the discharge-outlet thereof in the form of a streamof material, said stream being directed toward the valve, which in thepresent instance is oscillatory, and by said valve into the bucket orload-carrying receptacle G.

The valve orstream controller is designated by V and consists of twohinged sections 19 and 20, the first-mentioned constituting astream-cut-off section and consisting of an approximately fiat plate 19,preferably hung from the chute II by the suspension-links 21 and 21,which are pivoted to said plate at o p posite sides thereof, theopposite ends of said links being loosely movable about the pivots 22and 28, extending from the chute II. The valve V will preferably beconnected to the transverse valve controlling or actuating shaft 94, thelatter having suitable bearings in its opposite ends for receivingjournals carried by the framing of the machine, said shaft serving totransmit an opening thrust to said valve and also serving as aconvenient means for checking or impeding the closure or cutoff movementof the same, as will hereinafter appear. A pair of rock-arms is shown atand 2G projecting from the shaft 21 and pivoted to cars or lugs on thevalvesection 20. Each of the valve-sections will have guardwalls on itsends, the guardwalls of the section 19 overlapping those oi the otherfor preventing waste.

An oscillatory stream-director,which serves also in one of its functionsas a stream-reducing medium or valvebeing movable about an axisindependent of the valveis shown consisting of acurved plate 27,supported for movement by the pivots and 23 on the chute II, said plate27 having a swinging movement beneath the mouth or supply-opening ofsaid chute. The downward-flowing stream of material from the chute IIwill impinge against the stream-director 27, the course of the streambeing changed. and delivered thereby toward the rear of the axis ofoscillation of the valve-section 19, part of the force of the descendingcolumn being applied to the hi nge connection between the twovalvesections, whereby the discharge edge of the valve-section 19 willbe elevated, the volume of the supply-stream being reduced by the saidjoint action of said valve-sections and the member 27, the supply-streambeing subsequently cut off by the valve-section 19. The stream-director27 will be self-gravitative and toward the valve-section 19, the re sultbeing the coaction of these two members for reducing the volume of thesupply-stream. The reducing movement of the part 27 will be limited bythe valve V by virtue ol. connections between these two members and theintermediate shaft 24. A pair of rock-arms are shown at 28 and 29,having the links 39 and 31 pivoted thereto and also to thestreamdirector 27.

It will be remembered that the closing movement of the valve V will belimited, and for this purpose the following described. means may beused: The shaft 21- is shown having the rock-arm S2, to which is pivotedthe relatively long thrust-rod St, the free end of which normally bearsagainst the scalebeam B or a suitable projection, astheantifriction-r0117, on the arm. 7 of said scalebeam.

The action of the valve mechanism will be obvious from an inspection ofFigs. 2, 3, and. at of the drawings, in the first-mentioned of which thevalveis illustrated in .its wide-open position, the director 27delivering the downfiowing stream of material from the chute II towardthe rear of the valve, from whence it gravitates into the bucket. lVhena certain proportion of the load has been received by the bucket, itwill descend. the scale-beam 13 moving in unison therewith, and the arm7 of said beam, falling away from the rod 3i, will permit the closure ofthe valve 'V, and. as said valve closes the shaft iZ-lwill be rocked byreason of its connection with said valve, and the latter, through themedium of the connecting-links and 31, will communicate to the part 27 adownward or stream-red uein movement, the volume of the supply-streambeing reduced as the members 27 and 19 move toward each other.

It will be evident that the scale-beam l; constitutes an effectivemedium for limiting the too rapid closure of the valve on the downstrokeof said beam. On the return 01' said beam it imparts an opposite thrustto the rod ill, the result being a reversal of the operation justdescribed and the opening 01: the valve Y. At a predetermined point inthe closing movement of the valve it is desirable to intercept the samefor abriei space of time to permit the supply of drip or attenuatedstream to the bucket for the purpose of completing the partial. loadtherein. A depending rod is shown at rigid with the shaft 21, the loweror free end of said rod being in position to be engaged by the by-pass230 on the beam-arm 7 at the commencement of the drip period, so thatthe IIS valve will be held against further closing movement. On thecompletion of the bucket-- load said bucket and the beam, and hence theby-pass, will move below the poising-line, the depending rod 35 beingreleased,whereby the valve V will be also released and maybe given itsfinal closing stroke.

Reciprocally-effective stops are employed for limiting the movements ofthe valve and closer, the rocker 15 constituting one of said stops, thecoacting member being designated by 37, the last mentioned being rigidwith the shaft 24, so that any limitation of movement of said shaft willlikewise affect the connected valve V. These stop members are shown assegmental, and their operation will be clearly evident on reference toFigs. 2, 3, and 4. At the commencement of operation the point 38 of thestop 15 will be approximately contiguous to the curved face 87 of thestop member 37, so that should the latch 18 be prematurely tripped theoscillation of the stop 15 will be positively blocked and the closer Lthereby held against opening movement. lVhen 1he curved face 37 of thestop 37 has passed out of contact with the point 38, the rocker or stop15 will be free to oscillate, and in so doing its curved face 38willtravel along the antifrietion-roll 37", by reason of which reversemovement of the stop member 37, and hence the opening of the valve V,will be limited by said rocker or stop, and this operation will continueso long as the closer is open or partly open.

Means will be employed for imparting a vibratory or shaking movement tothe valve V, and preferably in a plane transverse of its axis ofoscillation and coincident with the path of flow of the supply-stream,whereby the mass of material sustained by the valve is loosened and afree flow of said stream to the bucket is insured.

A cam or toothed wheel is shown at 48 keyed to the relatively shortshaft 39, which is supported by the bifurcated bracket 40, extendingdown from the chute, said shaft also carrying the pulley 41, connectedto the pulley 42 by the belt 43, said pulley 42 being mounted on theshaft 44. The shaft li will be connected with a suitable motor. (Notshown.)

An extension is shown at 46 formed on the valve V and provided with anantifrictionroll 46'.

The valve V is self-projective toward the plane of rotation of thecam-wheel 4.8 by rea son of the disposition of the suspension-links 21and 21, which at the commencement of operation are located slightly tothe left of the perpendicular. As said roll 46 comes in con tact withthe teeth of the cam-wheel 4:8 said teeth will successively impart anopposite thrust to the valve V, such operation eontinuing while the roll4 is within the range of action of said cam 4E8.

For tripping the latch 17, to which referonce has been hereinbeforemade, aprojection is shown at l7 formed on the thrust-rod Set and havinga movement into engagement with the latch-pin 17 at a point near thefinal closure of the valve V, so that on the contin nation of suchmovements, and subsequent to the cut off of the supply-stream, the hook18 of said latch will be disengaged from the rocker-arm 15 and therocker 15 and the bucket-closer L thereby freed of all restraint, sothat the latter may be forced open by the weight of the bucket contents.

The operation of the h ereinbefore-described weighing-machine is asfollows: Fig. 2 represents the positions occupied by the respectiveparts at the commencement of operation. The closer L being in its lockedposition, the valve V is open, so that a stream of material issuing fromthe chute Il may flow into the bucket G. \Vhen a certain proportion ofthe load has been received by the bucket, it and the scale-beam G willdescend, and the beam, falling from under the connecting-rod 34:, willpermit the closure of the valve V, in the manner previously described,and the simultaneous downward movement of the stream-director 27, sothat on such combined movement the volume of the stream will beprogressively decreased. 011 the final cut off of the supply-stream bythe valve V the rod 34 will be thrust downward and the projection a7will be caused to move into contact with the latch-pin 17, therebydisengaging the hook 18 of said latch from the rocker-arm 15. Suchaction taking place, the rocker 15 and also the closer L will bereleased, whereby said closer may be forced open by the weight of thebucket contents.

No claim is herein made to the combination, broadly, with a chute, of anadjacent oscillatory valve supported to receive its closing force fromthe mass of material descending from such chute, as such subject-matteris set forth in my application, filed July 15,

.1896, Serial No. 599,303.

l'laving described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination with abucket, of a chute; an oscillating valve supported relatively to saidchute and in position for receiving its closing force by a gravitatingstream of material issuing from said chute; and a stream-directoroperable for delivering said stream toward the rear of the valve andmovable about an axis independent of said valve.

2. The combination with a bucket, of a chute; an oscillating valvesupported to receive its closing force from a gravitating stream ofmaterial issuing from said chute; and a inovably-mountcd stream-directoroperable for delivering said stream toward the rear of the valve saidstream-director being movable below the mouth of the chute and about anaxis independent of said valve.

3. The combination with a chute, of an OS- cillatin g valve supported toreceive its closing force from a gravitating stream of material issuingfrom said chute; and a streamdirector supported relatively to said chuteand operable for delivering said stream of material toward the rear ofthe valve, said stream-director being movable about an axis independentof said valve.

4-. The combination with a chute, of a cutoff valve supported foroscillatory movement about two independent axes and mounted to receiveits closing force from a gravitating mass of material issuing from saidchute; and valve-actuating means.

5. The combination with a bucket, of a chute; a cut-off valve supportedto receive its closing force from a gravitating mass of material issuingfrom said chute, said valve consisting of two hinged sections, thestreamcut-off section of which is connected to a rela tively-fixed partof the machine by suspension-links; means for supporting the othervalve-section; and valve-actuating means.

(5. The combination with a bucket, of a chute; a cut-off valve supportedto receive its closing force from a gravitating mass of material issuingfrom said chute, said valve consisting of two hinged sections;suspension-links pivotally supported by studs on said chute, said linksalso being connected to one of the valve-sections; means for supportingthe other valve-section and a streamdirector supported relatively to thechute and by said studs.

7. The combination with a bucket, of a chute; a cut-off valve supportedto receive its closing force from a gravitating mass of material issuingfrom said chute, said valve consisting of two hinged sections, thecut-oil section of whichis suspended from said chute; acontrolling-shaft connected to the other valve-section; and means foractuating said valve.

8. The combination with a bucket having a closer, of a chute; a cut-offvalve supported to receive its closing force from a gravitating mass ofmaterial issuing f rom said chute, said valve consisting of two hingedsections, the cut-off section of which is connected to arelatively-fixed part of the machine by suspension-links; means forsupporting the other valve-section; valve-actuating means; andreciprocally-eltective stops operative, respectively, with said valveand closer.

9. The combination with a bucket having a closer, of means comprising alatch for normally holding said closer against opening movement; achute; a cut-oil valve supported to receive its closing force from agravitatin g mass of material issuing from said chute, said valveconsisting of two hinged sections, the cut-off section of which isconnected to a relatively-fixed part of the machine by suspension-links;means for supporting the other valve-section; actuating means; and alatchtripping device operative with said valve.

10. The combination with a chute, of a cut off valve movable about twoindependent axes and supported to receive its closing force from agravitating mass of material issuing from said chute; and means foractuating and. for vibrating said valve.

11. The combination with a 'chute, of a retary cam; a cut-off valvesupported toreceive its closing force from a gravitating mass ofmaterial issuing from said chute; and links suspending the valve fromthe chute and per mitting the same to be bodily movable toward the planeof action of said cam.

12. The combination with a chute, of a controllingshaft; a cut-off valvesupported to receive its closing force from a gravitating mass ofmaterial issuing from said chute and consisting of two sections, thecut-off section of which is suspended by links from said chute;connections between the other valvesection and said valve; andvalve-actuating means.

13. The combination with a chute, of a valve; a stream-director coactingwith said chute and operable for directing a stream of material fromsaid chute toward the rear of said valve and being also movable about anaxis independent of the valve-axis, said stream-director being connectedto and controlled by said valve.

1-1. The combination with a bucket and with a chute, of acontrolling-shaft; a valve consisting of two sections, one of which isconnected to said controlling-shaft, the other being supported from thechute by suspension-links; and a stream-director also operativelyconnected to said shaft.

15. The combination with a bucket and its supporting scale-beam, of achute; a valve consisting of two sections, one of which is supportedfrom said chute; and a shaft connected to the other valve-section andhaving a depending rod in operative relation with said scale-beam.

FRANCIS ll. RICHARDS.

\Vitnesses:

FRED. J. DOLE, HEATH SUTHERLANI).

ICC

